Water into Wine, Corn into Chickens

An exciting new project is under way in Zambia, uniting people continents apart to share in one common faith-building goal: to feed His sheep.  The sheep in this story are the orphaned children of Zambia, in need of a sustainable food source.  Pastor Joseph Bwalya and wife Hildah help care for these children, and that means providing them with food.  Pastor Joe has come up with a sustainable plan to raise chickens.  After an initial batch of chickens is purchased and raised, some of the birds will be kept to provide food for the children, while the remaining birds will be sold in order to cover the cost of raising the chickens (feed, power, labor, etc.).  Their goal is to set this pattern of buying, raising and selling chickens into a sustainable eight week cycle, selling week one’s chickens by week nine, and so on.

Following a trip to Zambia, one Midwestern man was inspired by meeting Pastor Joe and seeing his willingness to sacrifice.  Upon returning stateside, Jack Purdy shared this with his family, including his daughter-in-laws Ashley and Amber.  Ashley, Amber, and a few women from church decided to donate funds from their garden-growing effort to the Zambian chicken project.  Their crop of choice: sweet corn. Ashley said it is a blessing to give their time and resources to a ministry they personally know and trust.  Her children enjoy reading online STS blog updates in order to stay in touch with a project their family is now involved in.  The Purdy’s next venture is to begin the organic certification process for chickens they plan on raising themselves, with some of the proceeds going to the Zambian chicken project. 

As these two stories intertwine, we begin to see a hand appear, perhaps not visibly, but nonetheless, it is present.  The same hand was present at a wedding feast long ago, where miracles occurred for those able to see.  While giving corn for chickens may not be miraculous, it is providing for those He loves.  It is also a recognition of the only One who can truly sustain us.